PRINT: Rock Climb Cosmic Trigger, Red River Gorge

Cosmic Trigger

5.12b, Sport, 80 ft (24 m),

Avg: 3.7 from 61 votes
FA: Greg Martin
Kentucky > Red River Gorge > Muir Valley > Inner Sanctum

Access Issue: Muir Valley is Privately Owned Details

Officially known as Muir Valley Climbing Area and a Nature Preserve, Muir is owned and managed by the Friends of Muir Valley non-profit organization.

In order to keep the valley operating a $15 fee is charged per car for parking to cover upkeep.

Some important rules must be followed to ensure future access and enjoyment by all. A complete list can be found at muirvalley.org/tabs/#pills-1 , but the most important are listed below:

All climbers must fill out a legal release form before climbing. muirvalley.org/waiver/ ;
The parking lot described in the directions below is the only permitted parking. Do not park on private drives.
No dogs are allowed in Muir Valley (nor left in your car in the parking lot.)
No hammocks are allowed to be hung/used in Muir Valley.

Description

With so many RRG routes over-hyped & over-star-ed in the guidebook, its rare to find a route that is better than expected, but this diamond in the rough delivers the goods. Surely one of the best 12a's at the Red, this route climbs a beautiful swath of sculpted, slightly overhanging orange sandstone, with interesting, continuous movement and a technical crux just below the top.

Stick clip the first bolt and make insecure moves between large slopers. More slopers lead out right to a tough move around the second bolt. Head back left to the orange streak where the holds get more positive and the fun begins. Charge up the steep wall on good holds to an obvious blank section just below the top. Cerebral moves between incut crimps and positive pockets leads to the slopey lip. Move right, mantle it out & clip the chains.

Location

On the far right end of The Inner Santum is a steep wall capped by a big roof. This route climbs the overhanging orange streak, immediately right of a black streak, on the left end of this wall.

Protection

~8 Bolts, 2BA. Stick clip highly recommended.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Nearing the top of Cosmic Trigger.

Cosmic Trigger 5.12b climbs the golden face right of the water streak.

Bad pic of a great route. Cosmic Trigger climbs the yellow, then orange streak right of the black streak.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Andrew Bock
Allentown, PA

Forget that noise out right of the second bolt. You can stay left in the golden rock on much better holds.

The beautiful crimps and pockets of the upper crux reminded me of the Fins in Idaho. If you’re ever working the routes in the Sanctuary make sure to come over and try this thing. It’d be a shame to miss such a unique classic. Nov 18, 2022

jessie briggs
NH

Excellent rock climb with subpar bolting. The top two bolts are unnecessarily hard to clip.

I thought the sloper dyno at bolt two was some of the best climbing on the route. May 8, 2023

Ciarán Lynch
Boulder

Amazing route! Would love to see the last bolt move down a foot or 2 and have the first 2 bolts maybe commit to either the slopers out right or crimps to the left for line clarity (my vote would be slopers). Just 2 cents for if this gets glue ins. Still an awesome pitch and super worth going out to! Probably one of my favorites in the muir Oct 17, 2023